Our first release in 12 years was celebrated two days ago. Thank you everyone who came and of course all my dear friends in @eightemo ❤️ photo: @eemeli.arka
Speaking at Immersive Tech Week, organised by @vrdaysfoundation . Thanks for the nice experience and hope to see you next year! Also thanks to my co-panelists
New week, new features and problems. Worked some more on the procedural system for side rooms and such, plus some automated moss. Fought with flex sensor and Teensy but finally got it to work as intended (broken Teensy gave a lot of noise to the sensor's data), so now you'll get a new hallway every time when you open the door. Though there are a finite number of the hallways so you could end up in a place you've been before, it's just extremely unlikely!
Tomorrow I'll travel to Berlin for few days but after that it's time to start working on the actual meshes, textures and materials (and maybe sounds).
I've decided to start posting more about my work since this has turned totally into a Papu posting account. I'll share the process of new pieces I'm working on each week or so.
This week I've worked on a new interactive installation which takes place in an almost endless building. First I made some rudimentary systems for procedurally creating these corridors that follow certain rules. Also some experiments with the colors, projection surface and such. More about the piece in the next post. Note that this is early in development and acts more as a test for now. I'm hoping posting these will both demystify the artistic and technical process that goes into a virtual/interactive piece and also help myself see how I'm progressing.
Days 85-88 - to Mexico (via Lordsburg)
The desert was alive after a wet monsoon season. Beautiful plants, rocks, sunrises and sunsets and a trail that sometimes existed and sometimes didn't. Then I walked over the last small mountain pass and was in Mexico. The journey had ended. I'll probably write something more a bit later about the ending and the experience as a whole.
This wasn't just the final stretch of the CDT, for me it was also the completion of my triple crown and the end of my thru hiking "career". Now it's time to rest before starting the long journey home tomorrow!
Days 79-83 - Gila River
After some more dirt roads I got to the section that most CDT hikers rank among the best sections of the whole trail: Gila River. There had been some serious flooding lately, but it was still quite enjoyable experience. The trail crosses the river over 100 times (I guess) and sometimes it was just easier to walk in the river rather than try to find the washed out trail. Also saw my first bear since day 6 or something!
The Gila was a truly unique experience and I enjoyed walking in the canyon, making the trail more of a portrait instead of landscape mode. There were also natural hot springs in the river and a snake and a lot of frogs (some the size of my feet) enjoying them.
Now it's time for my last zero of the trail and my triple crown here in Silver City. I have only about 160 miles and 4 hiking days left, feels so weird to think that soon I'm not walking anymore all day. I also think that I already saw Mexico from the mountain coming into Silver City.
Days 77-79 - to Pie Town
Road walking on pavement and gravel, lots of cool rock formations, some lava fields, first tarantula sighting and the famous Toaster House in Pie Town! Time to head on, towards Gila River.
Days 72-76 - to Grants (via Cuba)
A section varying between desert, plains and pine forests. Mellow climbs but not so mellow weather.
First 30 miles after Cuba were once again something breathtaking, with the desert colors, flora, fauna and wind carved rocks. In the evening the weather turned once again into a thunderstorm in which I was stuck in for 2 hours. Then I had to walk 4 miles in the dark to get some water, had to cross a fast moving wash and battle with some slippery and yet sticky mud. The water was a choice between the mystery murky, greenish warm water in a concrete through or a boxed spring that had at least one dead rat in it (I chose the mystery one). Such is New Mexico and water sometimes.
After climbing back up to higher elevation from the desert floor the trail was mostly flat dirt road, though the dirt was sticking to the soles of my shoes forming a nice 3cm thick, 1kg extra sole. That was a bit frustrating and I was kicking a lot of rocks clearing my shoes from that every couple minutes.
Last night as I got my tarp up I had two thunderstorms on both sides of me. A lot of flashing, no sound, they were that far. Soon enough a third thunderstorm rolled straight on top of me, there was a lot of rain and lightning, two hit less than 300 meters from me. So that was scary. But still alive and in a motel now, got to do real laundry for the first time in over 600 miles!
Days 67-72 - to Ghost Ranch
Some pretty nasty weather in the Southern San Juan, cold rain, hail and sleet and walking inside a cloud for a day soaked everything. Things cleared up in New Mexico, the final state of the trail! Hiking through pine forests, cow pastures and fields was a nice and mellow change of pace. Coming down to Ghost Ranch yesterday evening and this morning is 100% the highlight of the trail so far, with all the wildflowers, red rocks, cacti, night birds singing and such. Also got good breakfast and some trail magic from former thru hikers!
Days 62-66 - to Pagosa Springs (via Creede)
Two significant changes in the landscape: first it got flat and mellow, then the mountains rose again like giants. Took the Creede cutoff to save some time (blasphemy according to some to miss most of the Weminuche wilderness but you gotta do what you gotta do) and got to experience the ghost mines near Creede, one of the most unique experiences so far on the trail! Climbing back to the divide didn't have much of a trail but was a lot easier than expected. The views from the divide were once again something extraordinary! Now a short rest in this hot springs town and tomorrow I'll continue to approach New Mexico, the final state of the trail. Only around 80 miles there!
Days 58-62 - to Monarch Pass (via Twin Lakes)
First objectively the easiest section of Colorado so far, then one of the highlights of the hike in the Western Collegiates. Weather has been record warm for this time of the year and I've managed to dodge all rain and thunder. Seems like there will be a change in weather soon with cooler temps and some rain! Onward to the last 200+ miles of Colorado!
